Toy bowling game



Oct. 29, 1963 J. KELLINGER TOY BOWLING GAME Filed March 23, 1961 INVENToR.

47' TURNE V5' United States Patent O 3,1(8,8tl TOY BOWMNG GAME .lohn Kellinger, 439 49th St., Oakland, Calif. Filed Mar. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 97,811 12. Claims. {(Jl. 273-41) The present invention relates in general to miniature bowling games land in particular is directed -towards 'a game of this type wherein the bowling pins are suspended above the bowling surface.

In providing a toy bowling game it is of principal importance to simulate the features and playing characteristics of a conventional iull size bowling alley. In a game wherein the pins are suspended rather than placed upon the bowling surface there is presented the problem of providing interaction between the various pins similar to that created 'by conventional pins falling and knocking one `another down. Furthermore, it is necessary yto Aadapt each pin so that proper impact thereon removes it from play in a manner analogous to a conventional bowling pin being knocked down. In Kaddition it is desirable to provide a means or easily resetting the pins into playing position.

It is -accordingly lan object of this invention to provide a toy bowling lgaine which closely simulates the pin interaction created by the pins on a conventional bowling alley.

It is another object of this invention to provide a means for suspending a bowling pin whereby sutlicient -force against the pin causes lit to 'be moved upward into ia position out of play from the other pins.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for suspending bowling pins whereby pins which have been -removed from play can be easily reset into a playing position.

The invention possesses other objects `and features oi advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the speciiication. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may-be adopted within the scope of the invention `as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

FIGURE l is a top view of the instant bowling game.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational View of the lgaine illustrated in FIGURE l, with portions broken laway.

FIGURE 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the bowling pin suspension mechanism of the instant invention.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially in the plane indicated by line 4 4 of FIGURE 3.

With regard now to the invention in general, there are provided a plurality of bowling pins denoted by the numerals 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, k19 and 2G. Each of the howling pins is suspended from Ia mounting plate 21 which is secured adjacent the upper edges of la pair of spaced apart vertical supporting walls 22 tand 23. The bowling pins are oriented in `a. conventional array including a rst row of pins 17, 1%, |19 and 20, la second-row of pins 14, `i5, and 16, a third row of pins 12 and 13, and the head pin 11. In playing the game, the pins are suspended over `a horizontal `sur-face and a small ball such as a marble or the like is rolled towards the pins from in front of the 'head pin 11. When a pin-is struck by the Iball, or by the movement of another pin, it is removed into yan uplifted position as typified by pins 11 and X16 Iin FIGURE 2. It is noted that -the instant game is played according to the rules of conventional bowling which are suiciently known in .the art so as to merit no further discussion herein.

Referring now in detail to the means for suspending lthe bowling pins from the plate 21 there are provided ten .ri-,lhid Patented Get. 29, i953 ice slots 24 in the plate 21, these slots being oriented in correspondence to the array of pins. Inasxnuch as each of the ten pins are suspended in an identical manner, particular reference is made to FIGURES 3 and 4 wherein is shown one typical suspension mechanism 26 as provided by the instant invention. Mechanism 26 includes a lever arm 27 which is pivotally connected by means of a hinge 28 or the like to the upper surface of plate 21 adjacent the slot 24, the arm 27 being adapted to Imove from' and towards the -slot 24. A counter-weight 29 is mounted adjacent the upper end of lever arm 27. Now, as noted Ialso in FIGURE 2, a connecting rod 31 is disposed through the slot 424, yand is linked at its upper end to the lever larm 27, the lower Yend of rod 31 being adapted to have a bowling pin mounted thereon.

When a bowling pin is maintained in a downright position, i.e. with the rod 31 is disposed substantially vertically through the slot 24, the counter-weight 29 is disposed in essentially unstable equilibrium. A forward impact against the pin actuates the counter-weight 29 to move yaway from the slot 24 whereby the pin is withdrawn to an uplifted position.

It will be appreciated that as a practical matter it is not actually possible to maintain the counter-weight 29 in a true unstable equilibrium position. To solve this problem the counter-weight 29 is maintained in equilibrium with the lever `aum 27 inclined slightly past the vertical towards the slot 24. As a means to restrict thelever arm from swinging all the way down towards the slot 24 a stop member 32 is rigidly secured to the lever arm 27. The stop member 32 is adapted to abut against the plate 21 when the leve-r arm 27 is in its inclined position thereby restricting the motion of the counter-weight 29 towards the slot 24. In this manner the invention effects :tor all practical purposes an unstable equilibrium disposition of the counter-weight 29.

For a more detailed description of the connection oi' rod 31 to the lever arm 27 reference -is rnade to FIGURE 4. Preferably, a support arm 33 is rigidly vfastened intermediate the ends of the leve-r arm 27 and is disposed over the slot 24 when the stop member 32 abuts against the plate 21. The connecting rod 31 is then swivelly secured adjacent its upper end to the support arm 33 whereby the bowling pin cany swing in any direction about the arm 33. In addition, it is preferable that the arm 33 is bifurcated and includes separated portions 34 and 36 with a cylindrical rod 37 secured therebetween. A tranverse hole 38 is then provided in the upper portion of the connecting rod 3l and the cylindrical rod 37 is disposed through the hole 38 to support the rod 31. It is seen that by making the hole 38 oversized the vrod 3-1 is able to swing tnansversely as well as pivot-ally about the rod 37. The bowling pins are thus free to move to some extent in any direction thereby aiding the interaction 'between the various pins as is noted hereinafter. n U

In order to assist lin removing the bowling pin to its uplited position the invention preferably provides an element 39 whichV extends upwardly from the upper end of the connecting rod 31. The element 39 is disposed in confronting relation with the counter-weight 29 whereby aV forward movement of the pin causes the element 39 to move backwards and strike the counter-weight 29. In this manner the counter-weight 29 is knocked backwardly -into la stable equilibrium position and in so moving pulls the pin and rod 31 into a raised pos-ition.

As noted above, the connecting rod 3l. is suspended Iin a manner whereby the bowling pin can move tnansversely as well as forwardly. It may, however, be desirable to the rod 31 at its connection to rod 37 causes a significantly larger movement at the bottom of the pin. Consequently, attention is now directed to the stop member 32 which, 'as noted best in FIGURE 4, is provided with a Ibifu-rcated extension 41. The extension 41 is seen to comprise two separated portions 42 and 43 which extend iaroun-d the connecting -rod 31. It is preferable that the space between portions 42 4and 43 lbe progressively increased at distances further from the lever arm 27. In this manner the allowable transverse movement of the bowling pin is increased in relation to the amount of forward pivotal movement of thepin.

With regard now to the novel means of providing proper interaction between the various pins, it is noted that Vten contact plates 44 are each respectively secured adjacent the bottom of each of the tenbowling pins. Each contact plate 44 has a horizontal area substantially larger than the transverse cross-sectional area of a bowling pin. Consequently, it is unnecessary for a pin to swing extremely to the side in order to strike a pin in the next row, but instead the contact plate hits the pin. Preferably, the contact plates are constructed in a substantially triangular conguration, as is best seen in FIGURE l. Each contact plate 44 is mounted adjacent one corner thereof to its corresponding bowling pin and is disposed with la leading edge 45 essentially parallel to the rows of pins. It is additionally preferred that the leading edge 46 have la convex larcuate shape in order to further improve the interaction between the pins. As regards the dimensions of the contact plates 44 it is preferred that the plate 44 mounted on the head pin 11 have a width less than the space between the pins 12 and 13. In this manner a 4ball which hits the head pin 11 from straight in front thereof will not make a strike, i.e. remove all the pins, but instead simulates the split 'which would occur on a conventional bowling alley.V The remaining contact plates 44 are preferably made with a width substantially equal to the distance between the centers of two adjoining pins in -any row.

With regard now to the method and operation of playing the game, the invention is placed on a flat horizontal surface land a ball is rolled towards the pins from some distance in front of the head pin 11. In order to make a strike it is necessary to direct the ball to hit the head pin in addition to either the 12 or 13 pin. lf, for example, the ball is rolled between the 11 and 13 pins and -11 pin is deected slightly to the left and thus hits the 14 pin which in turn hits the 17 pin. Meanwhile, the ball also hits the 13 pin which Strikes the 15 `and .-16 pins which in turn remove the 18, 19 and 20 pins. It will be appreciated that it is not possible to make a strike without hitting the head pin 11.

It is additionally noted that the various pins can be simply reset into playing position, `after having been removed therefrom, by lifting upwardly a tab member 46 provided on the forward portion of the platey 21. VIn this manner the plate 21 is tilted so'that the counter-weights all swing forward until the corresponding stop members each about against the plate 21. The plate 21 can then be returnedto its normal horizontal positon whereby the pins are all replaced in a downright position.

For increased structural support, a base plate 47 may be provided between the vertical walls 22 Vand 23 adjacent the lower edges thereof. In this embodiment it is of course necessary for the'forward portion of the base plate 47 to be provided with a knife edge 48'in order that ,the ball be :allowed to roll smoothly towards' the pins.

What is claimed is:

1. ln a bowling game, the combination comprising a mounting plate, means for supporting said plate above a flat horizontal surface, said plate having a slot therein, a lever arm pivotally connected at one end to the upper surface of said plate adjacent one end of said slot and movable from and towards said slot, a stop member rigidly connected to ysaid lever arm and adapted to abut against said plate when said lever arm is inclined from a vertical position towards said slot whereby said arm is restricted from moving towards said slot but is freely movable away therefrom, a counter-weight mounted adjacent the other end of said lever arm, a support arm rigidly connected intermediate the ends of said lever arm above said plate and disposed over said slot when said stop member abuts against said plate, a connecting rod swivelly connected to said support arm 4and extending downwardly through said slot, and a bowling pin mounted adjacent the lower end of said connecting rod.

2. In a bowling game, the combination comprising a flat mounting plate, means for supporting said plate above a liat horizontal surface, said plate having an elongated slot therein, a lever arm pivot'ally connected at its lower end to lthe upper surface of said plate adjacent one end of `said slot, said lever arm adapted to move from and towards said slot, a counter-weight mounted adjacent the upper end of said lever arm, a stop member extending from the lower end of said arm towards said ls-lot at an angle of less than degrees with said arm whereby said stop member abuts against said plate when said arm is disposed past the vertical towards said slot thereby maintaining said counter-weight -in a substantially unstable equilibrium position, a support arm rigidly connected intermediate the ends of said lever arm and disposed over said slot when said. counter-weight is in said equilibrium position, a connecting rod swivelly secured adjacentitsV upper end to said support arm and extended downwardly through said slot, a bowling pin mounted adjacent the.

lower` end of said connecting rod, and an element extending upwardly from the upper end of `said connecting rod in confronting relation with said counter-weight. v

3. A bowling game as described in claim 2 further characterized by a bifurcated member extending from said stop member around said connecting rod thereby restricting the transverse movement of said bowling pin.

4. A game as described in claim 3 further characterized by said bifurcated member having 4the space between the separated portions thereof progressively increased at further distances from the pivot connection of said lever n arm. n

5. In a toy bowling game, the combination comprising na flat mounting plate, means for supporting said plate above a flat horizontal surface, said plate'having an elongatedislot therein, a lever arm pivotally connected at its lower end to the Vupper surface of said plate adjacent one end of said slot, said lever arm adapted to move from and towards said slot, a counter-weight mounted adjacent the upper end of said lever arm, a bifurcated support arm rigidly connected intermediate the ends of ysaid lever arm and disposed over said slot when said lever arm is in a substantially vertical position, a cylindrical rod connected transversely between the separa-ted por-tions of said support arm and disposed in a substantially horizontal position, a connecting rod having a transverse cylindrical hole -adjacent one end thereof pivotally connected to said support arm with said cylindrical rod disposed through said hole, said hole adapted to iit loosely around lsaid cylindrical rod, said bifurcated support arm adapted to, lit loosely about said connecting rod whereby saidconnecting rod can tmove transversely in addition to pivotally about said cylindrical rod, said connecting rod disposed downwardly through said slot, a bowling pin mounted adjacent the lower end of said connecting rod, an element extending upwardly from the upper` end of said connecting rod in confronting relation with said counter-weight, and a bifurcated stop member rigidly connected to the lower end of said lever arm and extending around said connecting rod, said stop member adapted to abut against said plate when said lever arm is inclined towards said slot.

6. In a toy bowling game having ten bowling pins disposed in a conventional array of a first row of four pins, a second row of three pins, a third row of two pins and a arcanos head pin, the combination comprising means loi swivelly suspending each of said pins in an essentially unstable equilibrium position whereby impact against a particular pin -in one direction causes that pin to move into an uplifted stable equilibrium position, and six contact plates each secured respectively `adjacent the bottom ot said head pin and each said pin said second and third rows, each of said Contact plates having a horizontally extending leading edge substantially wider than the transverse cross-sectional `area of any said pin, said plate on said head pin adapted to engage the pins of said third row, said plates on said third row pins adapted to engage the pins of said second row, said plates on said second row pins adapted to engage the pins of said `first row.

7. A bowling game as described in claim 6 further characterized by said Contact plates each having a substantially triangular coniiguration, each said Contact plate mounted adjacent one corner thereof to its respective pin and oriented in correspondance with the triangular array of bowling pins, said pla-tes each having a leading edge spaced behind its respective pin and disposed in substantially parallel relationship with said rows, said plates of said second `and third rows each having the width of its leading edge substantially equal to the distance between the centers of two adjoining pins in any row with the plates in each row being laterally spaced from each other, said head pin plate having the width of its leading edge less lthan the narrowest distance between the two pins in the third row.

8. A bowling gaine as described in claim 7 further defined by said leading edges each having a convex arcuate configuration.

9. In `a toy bowling game having ten bowling pins disposed in a conventional array of a first row of four pins, a second row of three pins, a third row of two pins and a head pin, the combination comprising a mounting p-late, means for supporting said plate above a flat horizontal surface, said plate having ten slots disposed therein in correspodence with said conventional array, ten lever arms each pivotally connected at one end to the upper surface of said plate yadjacent one end of each corresponding slot, each said lever arm adapted to move pivotally from and towards each respective slot in a plane of pivotal movement oriented transversely to said rows, ten counter-weights each respectively mounted adjacent the remaining end of each said lever arm, means for restraining each said lever arm from moving towards said corresponding slots whereby each said counter-weight can be disposed in an equilibrium position with each said lever arm inclined from a vertical position towards each corresponding slot, ten support arms each respectively secured to said lever arms and disposed over said corresponding slots when said counter-weights are in said equilibrium position, and ten connecting rods each disposed respectively through one of said slots and each having its upper end swivelly secured respectively to said corresponding support arm, each of said bowling pins disposed below said plate and respectively mounted adjacent said connecting rods.

l0. A toy bowling game as described in claim 9 further characterized by ten contact plates each secured respectively adjacent the bottom of each said bowling pin, each of said contact plates having a horizontal area substantial-ly larger than the transverse cross-sectional area of any said pin.

11. ln a bowling game having ten bowling pins disposed in a conventional array of a tirst row `of four pins, a -second row ot three pins, a third row of two pins and a head pin, the combination comprising a pair of spaced apart vertical walls adapted for placement upon a flat horizontal surface, a flat mounting plate secured between said walls `adjacent the upper edges thereof and disposed in a isubstantially horizontal position, said plate having ten. slots therein disposed in correspondence with said conventional array, ten lever arms each' pivotally connected at oneend to the upper surface of said plate adjacent each corresponding slot, each said lever arm adapted to move pivotally from land towards each respective slot in a plane of pivotal movement oriented transversely to said rows, tten counter-weights each respectively mounted yadjacent the remaining end of each said lever arm, ten stop members each extending respectively from the lower end of each said lever arm towards each corresponding slot at an angle of less than degrees with each corresponding lever arm whereby each said stop member yabuts against said plate when said lever arm is disposed past the vertical towards its corresponding slot thereby maintaining each said counter-weight in an essentially unstable equilibrium position, ten support arms each respectively rigidly connected intermediate the ends of each said lever arm and disposed over said corresponding slot when said corresponding counter-weight is in said equilibrium position, ten connecting rods each respectively swivelly secured adjacent one end to each support arm and each said connecting rod disposed downwardly through said corresponding slot, each said bowling pin respectively mounted adjacent the lower end of each said connecting rod, and ten elements each extending upwardly respectively from the upper end of each said connecting rod, each saidelement disposed in confronting relation with its correspond-ing counterweight.

1'2. In a bowling game, the combination comprising a mounting plate, means for supporting said plate above a playing surface, said plate having `a slot therein, a counterweight pivotally secured to the upper surface of said plate adjacent one end of said slot and movable from and towards said slot, stop means secured to said counterweight adapted to abu-t against said plate to maintain said counterweight in unstable equilibrium when it is in -it-s position nearest said slot and adapted to allow said counterweight :to pivot freely away from said slot to a position of stable equilibrium, a connecting rod swivelly secured to said counterweight at a position thereon `spaced above the pivotal connection of said counterweight to said plate with said rod adapted to depend freely through said slot when said counterweight is in its position of unstable equilibrium, and a bowling pin mounted adjacent the lower end of the connectingrod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED ST TES PATENTS 1,006,314 Talbert Oct. 17, 1911 1,941,630 Smith Jani. 2, 19134 2,118,383 Page May 24, 1938 2,141,958 yRuberti Dec. 27, 1938 2,207,643 Strong July 9, 1940 3,001,794 Alu Sept. 26, 1961 

12. IN A BOWLING GAME, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A MOUNTING PLATE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID PLATE ABOVE A PLAYING SURFACE, SAID PLATE HAVING A SLOT THEREIN, A COUNTERWEIGHT PIVOTALLY SECURED TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PLATE ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID SLOT AND MOVABLE FROM AND TOWARDS SAID SLOT, STOP MEANS SECURED TO SAID COUNTERWEIGHT ADAPTED TO ABUT AGAINST SAID PLATE TO MAINTAIN SAID COUNTERWEIGHT IN UNSTABLE EQUILIBRIUM WHEN IT IS IN ITS POSITION NEAREST SAID SLOT AND ADAPTED TO ALLOW SAID COUNTERWEIGHT TO PIVOT FREELY AWAY FROM SAID SLOT TO A POSITION OF STABLE EQUILIBRIUM, A CONNECTING ROD SWIVELLY SECURED TO SAID COUNTERWEIGHT AT A POSITION THEREON SPACED ABOVE THE PIVOTAL CONNECTION OF SAID COUNTERWEIGHT TO SAID SLOT WHEN SAID ROD ADAPTED TO DEPEND FREELY THROUGH SAID SLOT WHEN SAID COUNTERWEIGHT IS IN ITS POSITION OF UNSTABLE EQUILIBRIUM, AND A BOWLING PIN MOUNTED ADJACENT THE LOWER END OF THE CONNECTING ROD. 